


Dancing in the Air

by AughtPunk



Category: Echo of the Larkspur
Genre: Dancing, Dorks in Love, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Humans can't flirt either, I Don't Even Know, Is it a fandom if the novel isn't published, Is it a fanfic if I wrote the novel, M/M, Robots, Robots can't flirt, Robutts, Very Literal Falling, falling, hell yeah, look - Freeform, not how anything works really, not how gravity works, that's all that matters, the robot and the human are in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 03:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20185501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AughtPunk/pseuds/AughtPunk
Summary: Dr. Ciro Kwakkenbos rather enjoyed it when the Iris Colony's gravity field went offline.SAGE would much rather go dancing.





	Dancing in the Air

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a flash-fiction anthology ages ago and forgot all about it until now.
> 
> All characters are mine. That's right. Mine.

The gravity in the main laboratory was broken, _again_. Sure, spontaneously floating around was fun the first few times. But every minute spent hovering meant one more minute of unpaid overtime. One by one the scientists flew out and waited for the loud crash that signified that they could return to work. After all, even flying got old after awhile.

Ciro disagreed. While the others filed out, he kicked against the floor and floated up towards the lab’s high domed ceiling. He closed his eyes as his various aches and pains went silent. He was at peace. 

_ **Ciro? ** _

The whisper in his cybernetic implant was enough to bring him back to reality. At the highest point of the ceiling was a white orb barely large enough for a human. Within the sphere a shadow of a body moved across the razor-thin surface.

_ **All personal were told to evacuate the lab, Ciro.** _

Gaps spread across the sphere as the membrane blossomed to reveal the humanoid robot known as SAGE. Thick wires ran down its back connecting it to the heart of the sphere.

Normally, getting this close to SAGE would be enough to make Ciro’s heart flutter. “I’m trying to relax.” He floated helplessly towards the bound robot. “My doctor told me learning to unwind would help my anxiety.”

_**Ciro. **_SAGE tried to sound professional, but couldn’t hide the worry in its voice. _**The artificial gravity generator is being fixed. It could turn on without warning. I don’t need to run any complicated calculations to determine how deadly a fall from this height would be. But I did it anyway. Extremely fatal.**_

“It takes almost a half hour for a full gravitational reboot. I’ll be fine.” Ciro twisted in the air. “This is rather nice. Sort of like swimming but without sharing the pool with potentially diseased strangers. Is this what it’s like to move with your wires?”

_ **I am unable to comprehend the concept of swimming. My only run-in with water was the time the sprinklers were set off. But I do enjoy moving through the air via my cables. Yet one day I hope to gain mobility so I will be able to perform many actions I cannot while plugged into the laboratory.** _

“Like what?” Ciro wondered if the question was too personal, even for aphysically bound computer program.

_ **I would like to dance.** _

“Really?” Ciro was close enough to SAGE to see the silver lining the robot’s body. “You can’t dance?”

_ **Not without trapping my dance partner within a cocoon of wires. The simulations I’ve run have gone…badly.** _

“Oh. Well.” Ciro took the robot’s hand. “The second you’re unplugged I’ll take you out dancing. I promise.”

_**Re-Really?**_ The three lenses on SAGE’s faceplate lit up as the robot squeezed Ciro’s hand.

“Sure! Worse comes to worse, we can sort of shake next to each other and pretend it’s the latest dance craze.”

Warm, soft laughter echoed through Ciro’s mind. The musical sound was almost enough to distract him from the feeling of all of the weight returning to his body. His hand slipped from SAGE’s as gravity claimed his fragile body. He parted his lips to scream.

Ciro was falling. 

The three lenses on SAGE’s faceplate burst to life. Ciro’s eyelids flickered involuntarily, not caring that his death was mere seconds away. When his eyes re-opened SAGE was closer. Much closer.

_ **GOTCHA!** _

The laboratory vanished as SAGE’s wires wrapped tightly around them.Ciro couldn’t see, but he could feel SAGE’s warm metal body pressed against his own. Its faceplate was pressed against his shoulder, and at least one of its limbs was digging into his stomach. Yet he had to admit, it was better than the alternative.

SAGE’s armored body trembled against Ciro’s slightly squished one.

_ **Don’t you ever-** _

“SAGE?”

_ **Ever EVER do that-** _

“SAGE! AIR!”

_ **Oh! Sorry!** _

The wires uncoiled. With light restored, Ciro could see that they were dangling only a few feet above the floor. SAGE still clung to Ciro. Not that Ciro minded terribly. It must have been the adrenaline. Ciro made a mental note to observe this condition once his feet were firmly planted on the floor.

“So. Is that what happens when you dance?”

_**The being tangled together in my wires? Yes. **_SAGE moved his hand to the small of Ciro’s back. _**Do you still wish to dance with me once I’m freed? **_

Ciro rested his head on SAGE’s shoulder. “Can’t wait.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you everyone for your kudos, your comments, and your encouragement! 
> 
> If you enjoy my writing please check out my other fics or head to [my website](https://aughtpunk.com/want-to-help-out/) for information on my non-fic writing and how to help me out. 
> 
> Be sure to tag me as @AughtPunk on [Twitter,](https://twitter.com/aughtpunk) [Tumblr,](http://aughtpunk.tumblr.com) or [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/AughtPunk) if you want to say hi, or ever make any fan content of my work. No need to ask permission, art and fic is always welcomed!
> 
> \- Fish


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